The present invention relates generally to dispensing containers and, more specifically, to dispensing cap constructions enabling accurately measured amounts of the container contents (in granular, particulate or powdered form) to be dispensed from the cap.
Dispensing containers are, of course, well known and are used in many different industries for many different purposes. One such use is in the food industry, and a specific example includes jars and other similar containers which contain solid foods (such as spices) in particulate, granular or powder-like form. Typically, a measuring spoon or separate measuring cup is utilized in conjunction with the jar or container when accurate amounts are to be obtained.
Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,582 discloses dispensing caps incorporating measuring chambers that eliminate the need for measuring spoons or cups. While the incorporation of a measuring function into a container/cap construction for the discharge of desired amounts of the container contents is not in itself new (see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,802,284; 2,804,103; 3,860,111; 4,613,057 and 4,635,828), the dispensing caps in the above identified commonly owned patent provides improved and simplified structures for accomplishing this result, while generally retaining the desirable option of substantially unrestricted pouring and/or shaking of the container contents from the dispensing cap.
This invention improves the prior dispensing caps by adding back flow impedance features that minimize the risk of measured amounts of the container contents accidentally transferring from the measuring chamber in the cap back into the container before the measured amount is dispensed from the cap.
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a transparent plastic cap is provided which includes a top and a depending skirt. The skirt incorporates a generally bowl-shaped weir panel provided with a weir aperture lying on one side of a center line extending through the cap. The weir panel, in combination with the skirt wall and the cap top wall, form a measuring chamber into which a desired amount of container contents may be poured via the weir aperture. In this exemplary embodiment, a vertical wall is provided along the weir edge, thus providing a barrier to accidental backflow. The cap top wall forms a fully openable dispensing door integrally hinged at the juncture of the cap skirt and cap top wall. The cap top wall (and optionally a portion of the depending skirt) is provided with volume gradations in the form of level lines and suitable alpha and/or numeric characters, enabling the user to precisely transfer measured amounts of contents from the container into the cap measuring chamber.
In a second exemplary embodiment, the weir edge extends only partly across the cap chamber, resulting in a generally rectangular shaped weir aperture. In this embodiment, the backflow prevention wall is configured like the aperture, with a forward wall and two side walls extending upwardly from the weir aperture.
In a third exemplary embodiment, the bowl-shaped weir panel extends over the entirety of the cap interior. Contents are moved into the cap measuring chamber through a round aperture in the panel, and backflow is prevented by a substantially upright sleeve extending upwardly from the aperture.
While three weir aperture configurations are described herein, it will be appreciated that the backflow prevention technique disclosed herein is readily adaptable to any number of weir aperture shapes.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention relates to a measuring/dispensing cap adapted for attachment to an open upper end of a container, the cap comprising a substantially cylindrical skirt and a lid connected thereto; the cylindrical skirt portion incorporating a measuring chamber defined in part by a weir panel having an opening that is defined in whole or in part by a wall extending upwardly from the panel toward the lid, terminating short of the underside of the lid.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a measuring/dispensing cap adapted for attachment to an open upper end of a container, the cap comprising a substantially cylindrical skirt and a lid integrally hinged to the cap; the cylindrical skirt incorporating a measuring chamber defined in part by a generally bowl-shaped weir panel having an opening that is defined in whole or in part by a wall extending upwardly from the panel, terminating short of the underside of the lid; wherein at least the lid is composed of substantially transparent plastic; and wherein the lid is provided with volume indicators.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.